MASH Report (6/6/16)

Hunter Pence will be out eight weeks with a torn hamstring.

Giants right fielder Hunter Pence is expected to undergo surgery to remove a torn right hamstring tendon, which could sideline one of San Francisco’s top run producers for approximately eight weeks.

The Giants are still consulting physicians about their medical options with Pence, who injured himself while sprinting to first base in Wednesday night’s 5-4, 11-inning loss at Atlanta. Head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said Friday that until those discussions have ended, the Giants won’t officially declare that Pence will need surgery.

However, Groeschner said, “I think we’re headed in that direction.”

Even the typically upbeat Pence indicated surgery appeared imminent.

I could make a case in shallow leagues with short benches that Pence is now droppable.

Yasiel Puig will be out with a hamstring injury for a short while.

Manager Dave Roberts had said earlier Friday that the plan was to activate Van Slyke by Sunday, with Puig to the DL as a possibility, but the team instead announced the move just minutes before the start of Friday night’s 4-2 win over the Braves.

“It was one of those where it was just a forthright conversation, trying to figure out where he was at,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to play both sides, keep him available, but at some point we just had to make a decision on getting him healthy.

“He’s not the player that he can be if he’s not healthy, especially with his legs, so we made that decision.”
It doesn’t sound too serious.

Mark Teixeira is sidelined with torn cartilage in his knee.

Teixeira revealed Saturday that his arthritic right knee has been sore and swollen for about two and a half weeks, but he figured that it was just the usual wear and tear that comes in a 14th Major League season. But soon after his second-inning at-bat in Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Orioles, Teixeira felt his knee lock up.

“I knew something was wrong once it locked up that bad,” he said.

An MRI Friday night revealed the cartilage tear.

I expect him to miss at least a month with more information coming out today.

• An interesting note on Raisel Iglesias just came out. It seems like when he returns, he will likely head to the Reds bullpen.

Raisel Iglesias was the Reds’ Opening Day starting pitcher this season, but there is a chance he might not start again this season. Iglesias, who is on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement, is being prepped for a bullpen role.

“Right now, we’re looking at him as a reliever for a couple of different reasons,” Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. “No. 1, it’s to help stabilize the bullpen. Even more importantly, we want to try and keep him as healthy as possible. We shut him down last year for innings and caretaking of his shoulder. He had a re-injury of his shoulder. We’ll lighten the workload coming off this stint on the DL and then take a look either later in the year or early next year if starting is better or bullpen is better.”

This news puts a damper on his value unless he ends of being the Reds closer.

• The Red Sox have lost both Blake Swihart (sprained ankle) and Ryan Hanigan (inflamed neck) for a few weeks.

Mike Foltynewicz is on the DL with bone spurs bothering him.

The discomfort has not necessarily been significant when Foltynewicz has attempted to throw, but he found himself occasionally attempting to compensate by altering his arm slot during a recent bullpen session.

“It doesn’t hurt when I throw,” Foltynewicz said. “It just hurts when I do normal stuff like pull my cap, brush my teeth or take off my jersey. But if this is something I’ve got to learn how to pitch with, I’ll do it. But I’m not feeling confident enough to go out and throw in a big league ballgame.”

Huh? So does it hurt or not?

• In some predictable news, David Wright heads to the DL with more back issues.

David Wright’s efforts to reboot an injury-riddled career absorbed another body blow on Friday, when the Mets announced he will abstain from baseball activity for six-to-eight weeks with a herniated disc in his neck. Wright, whose last six seasons have been marred by health issues ranging from a major stress fracture to a series of muscle pulls and, most recently, spinal stenosis, is unlikely to return until August.

Brandon Guyer strained his hamstring.

And so did Darren O’Day.

Nicholas Tropeano is dealing with shoulder tightness. He thinks he will only need the minimum number of days to come off the DL.

Fastball velocity reading for pitchers returning from the DL

Carlos Carrasco’s average fastball velocity is fine.

Sonny Gray’s velocity was up at least 1 mph.

Shane Greene is seeing a 2 mph increase since moving to the bullpen

Will Smith’s velocity is down 2 mph since coming off the DL.

Players on the 2016 DL

The Red players have had updates since the last report. Click on the “Date” for a link to go to the latest article on the player.





Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.

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dtpollittmember
7 years ago

How do I find those velocity graphs?

Will Hannonmember
7 years ago
Reply to  dtpollitt

On the player page, change “Season Stats” to “PITCHf/x”, then change “Overview” to “Velocity Charts”.

http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=8048&position=P&pitch=FA

Ghost of Jair Jurrjens
7 years ago
Reply to  Will Hannon

Have mercy